Reports: After Rishabh Pant, Team India support staff member test Covid-19 positive; three quarantined

The Covid-19 saga in the Indian camp in England is deepening with a recent report suggesting that a member of the support staff of the touring party has also tested Covid-19 positive. Earlier on 15th June, it was confirmed that India’s wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant contracted with the virus and will not be a part of the practice fixture scheduled in Durham next week.

Sources confirmed that Pant had a sore throat and mild symptoms that led to his test, which showed a positive result. He was recently seen attending a Euro 2020 fixture at the Wembley Stadium, where a few raised questions as he was not seen with appropriate Covid-19 gears.

Meanwhile, a recent report via Indian Express confirms that as many as three assistant coaches have been asked to quarantine after a support staff member returned a positive test result after Pant. It is understood that none of them will travel to Durham for the warm-up game.

Team India is fine, there is no problem: Rajiv Shukla 

Opening up on the matter, BCCI Vice President Rajiv Shukla stated that the team is safe and there is not much to worry about. “One player has been found positive, he was asymptomatic, I won’t disclose the name. He was not staying in the team hotel, he is staying with relatives and is recovering very well. He is in isolation, he was found positive 8 days back. He will be tested again after two days.”

“Team India is fine, there is no problem. Secretary Jay Shah has written a letter to team management everybody should follow the COVID protocols, strict measures whatever could be adopted as per the recommendations must be followed and all safety precautions should be taken and the team has to be very careful during the England tour,” he added.

India is set to play England for five Tests, the first of which gets underway from August 4 in Nottingham and marks the beginning of the second cycle of the World Test Championship. Notably, as many as seven members of England’s ODI setup had recently tested positive, before their series against Pakistan, leading the ECB to name a fresh squad led by Ben Stokes.